capybara

Anna Ol and Anastasia Pershenkova are simply wonderful in Mayerling - as Mary Vetsera and Countess Larische respectively. Yana Serebriakova, now a coach, was with the Mariinsky and is, I believe, Igor Zelensky's wife.

Not unexpectedly, views on the merits of different Bolshoi dancers vary significantly. It's not unusual for both the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky to field younger dancers, or even debutantes, when they are in London. Smirnova won the Benois this year and we have chosen to see her in Swan Lake because it is rather special to catch someone at the start of what is likely to be a stellar career

There were several Linbury arena tickets for these performances when I looked online just now, also some for the main stage performance on 14 July.

In addition to the changes mentioned above, there appears to have been quite a bit of moving around with the casting. It is now shown as follows: Petrushka 25.7.2013 [Matinee] – Lukovkin (Petrushka), Oliveira (Ballerina), Dynott (Moor) 25.7.2013 – Reimair (Petrushka), Osbaldeston (Ballerina), Souza (Moor) 26.7.2013 – Gruzdyev (Petrushka), Oliveira (Ballerina), Dynott (Moor) 27.7.2013 [Matinee] – Lukovkin (Petrushka), Costa (Ballerina), Acosta (Moor) 27.7.2013 – Reimair (Petrushka), Osbaldeston (Ballerina), Souza (Moor) Song of a Wayfarer 25.7.2013 [Matinee] – Bosch, Reimair 25.7.2013 – Muntagirov, Berlanga 26.7.2013 – Muntagirov, Reimair 27.7.2013 [Matinee] – Bosch, Reimair 27.7.2013 – Muntagirov, Berlanga Raymonda 25.7.2013 [Matinee] – Glurdjidze, Gruzdyev 25.7.2013 – Klimentova, Muntagirov 26.7.2013 – Rojo, Berlanga 27.7.2013 [Matinee] – Rojo, Berlanga 27.7.2013 – Glurdjidze, Gruzdyev

Please could you explain what disappointed you, Moomin?

Balletcoforum already seems to be a useful source of cheaper 'returns'.

If it was, indeed, Daria's last performance in Swan Lake it was a wonderful way to close. The reception they received at the end was phenominal. Regarding Ian's question (above), every ballerina must surely reach a stage where they no longer wish to dance the big classics but I'm hoping for many more years of Daria's magical partnership with Vadim.

ENB dancers will perform the Raymonda Act III pas de deux at the Greenwich Festival this coming week as follows: Friday 28 June at 12.00noon and 13.30 Saturday 29 June at 13.35 and 15.20 The running time is about 10 minutes and we understand that Elena Glurdjidze will be dancing. The venue is outdoors at Wren Landing near to Canary Wharf and the show is free.

Is anyone able to post the productions, dates and casts for the Royal Ballet on tour in Monaco and Japan, please? Also, it would be lovely to hear, in due course, how the performances went.

It seems that Esteban is heading for Madrid. Does anyone know any details?

TRAVELZOO implies that the offer applies to all performances but i guess that you have to experiment with the code to find out for sure.

There is now an offer for Coppelia. £50 seats in the Dress Circle for £25. Code is: TRAVELZOO. Charges of £1.75 apply online and £3.50 for telephone bookings.

A lot of the people at the RAH seem to be on day coach trips to London, which include Swan Lake so the choice is virtually made for them. However, the venue does appear to be an attraction in itself. Also, it is conveniently near to the museums, Kensington Palace, Hyde Park and the Albert Memorial and all that makes an attractive package.

I have commented elsewhere that Vadim's Siegfried is absolutely breathtaking. People around us on Wednesday night, some of them clearly new to ballet, were gasping at his solo and coda in the black swan pdd. Daria matched him every step of the way in a performance she had dedicated to the memory of David Wall and which, therefore, must have been an emotional and difficult one for her - and a poignant one for us. Both of them 'filled' the vast arena which, on the basis of past experience, not everyone seems able to do. I sense that Meunier's point about pricing has affected (multiple) attendance on the part of many ballet regulars. But it is good that the ENB's ventures at the RAH attract so many parties of people who do not normally patronise the ballet - a lot of them in the 23 - 45 age group.

How disappointing that ENB is to lose one of its most promising men. This must have been unexpected as he is featured with Tamara in the new advertising material for Romeo and Juliet in the round next year.

I agree with Meunier that Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall is cripplingly expensive but I also concur with Aileen insofar as there appears to be minimal interest on this forum in companies other than the Royal Ballet. This is a pity, especially as one can access ENB elsewhere quite cheaply - as we do. Also, if you become an ENB Friend, the opportunities to watch rehearsals and attend events are not all taken up by higher levels of Friend! Besides Laurretta, up and coming dancers to watch at ENB include: Ksenia Ovsiannick (ex ENB School); Nancy Osbaldeston (also British and ex ENB School) and Shiori Kase (ex RB School). All have been given leading roles this year and have done splendidly.

I have posted congratulations to Laurretta elsewhere. She was so assured, seemed to have plenty of 'time' (so many debutantes appear rushed) and danced and acted beautifully. To dance a first Odette/Odile 'in the tround' at the Royal Albert Hall is an amazing achievement. Try to get a ticket for Saturday afternoon if you can.

A wonderfully confident and beautifully danced and acted debut as Odette/Odile from Laurretta Summerscales at the Royal Albert Hall this afternoon. Brava!

Again at the LBC on Monday, Kevin was asked specifically about the possibility of Vadim guesting and, having initially responded to the effect that it would be difficult between 'home' companies, responded quite positively when it was pointed out that Tamara guested with ENB while at the RB. Maybe that gave him food for thought. After his wonderful Solor in St. Petersburg, I would have loved to have seen Vadim dance in La Bayadere with the RB this season. In my view, he would have been the best Solor by a mile. [And, by the way, his Siegfried with ENB at the Royal Albert Hall this week is breathtaking. Catch him on Saturday night if you can.]

At the LBC on Monday night, Kevin O'Hare stated that he wasn't intending to 'poach' dancers from elsewhere. [but this belongs to another thread really....!]

I hope that it's OK to post this but.... A questioner at Kevin O'Hare's session at the London Ballet Circle last night said how much she had enjoyed Yuhui's performances this year and hoped she would have more such opportunities. In response, Kevin was complimentary to Yuhui and said that that would certainly continue. Good news!

I would love to join in with my own list for promotion but I'm beginning to get the feeling that, by offering 'tips' here, we are going too far. There now seems to be a risk of unintentionally denigrating some dancers without knowledge of, for example, the full facts behind casting decisions. If the waiting (or keeping news quiet) is hard for us, it must be all the more so for the dancers. So isn't it better that we wait patiently for a few more days to hear the official announcement?

Anyone who had the privilege of seeing Marianela dance Tatiana in Onegin must surely feel content that there is another established RB ballerina who is more than ready to essay a range of MacMillan roles, as is Lauren, of course. However, I also concur with the views expressed above about the wealth of (even) younger company talent awaiting the opportunity to fill the amazing, dramatic shoes of Alina, Leane, Mara and Tamara.

And Mara and Laura have never got to dance Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Agree wholeheartedly about Yuhui - fingers firmly crossed as it is around this time of year that PB dancers usually get told.

Someone very much 'in the know' suggested the other night that this was something we should not save up for. What a risk going to the Coli while the Bolshoi is still at ROH!